I've owned a PSP since launch. That said, I've been installing unsigned code on it since it existed. As soon as custom firmware was available, I installed it. I've been running emulators every now and then since they were released, and I love being able to run them on the go.

I've also been buying games...and I spend most of my PSP time playing actual PSP games. I own over 20 UMDs. I started with WipEout Pure and Lumines, and went on from there. Even though I bought the two Disgaea games and therefore didn't need anything else, I continued buying games anyway. =) Of course, I'd load everything onto Memory Stick, because of the huge increase in battery life, increased portability and significantly faster load times, except for really big games like DJMAX Portable, which I'd just run off UMD. Great games, the ability to take several of them with you, good controls, long battery life... what was not to like?

Around the time ISOs became available for download, I tried a couple of games I hadn't bought. But since I buy all the games I'm truly interested in, I wound up just sticking to those instead. I can't remember the last time I played a PSP game I hadn't actually purchased.

But every now and then I'd buy a new game and it wouldn't run; I'd need a firmware upgrade. Pain in the butt, sure, but it was worth it, so I got newer custom firmware and off I went. I also had to jump through a few hoops to play Strikers 1945 Plus after buying it from the PlayStation Store, but eventually I got it running.

So recently I got BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Portable. I noticed that the file size of the ISO would be pretty huge so I figured I'd just play off UMD. Couldn't do it. Looked up the info in my usual places, and found that not only would I have to rip the ISO, but I'd also have to apply a patch. I didn't feel like it at the time, and have been pretty busy lately, so I still haven't gotten to play the game I bought.

If I have to do this every time I buy a new game, then I'm not going to be buying any more new games. ProTip: if piracy is easier than buying legit, then it's going to happen!

And yes, I realize I could just dump the custom firmware and not have to deal with that problem. Seriously, I could do without the emulators... But playing the games off Memory Stick is infinitely preferable to playing everything off UMD, and there's still no official way to rip games you legally bought. If Sony had offered a way of trading in UMDs for digital downloads, I seriously would have considered a PSP Go...not kidding. Most of my games are not offered at the PS Store, and even if they were, I shouldn't have to re-buy my entire collection.

Sony's entire handling of this situation kind of sucks. I don't blame them for trying to stop the piracy, but they could at least acknowledge the fact that there are some benefits of custom firmware, and try to implement those in the officials. Why can't I rip a game to my PSP that would then tie itself to my system's serial number, preventing anyone else from playing it? Implement that one feature and I'll leave custom firmware behind.

And by the way, if they really think piracy was the #1 problem in NA, they're idiots. It's just like people who claim piracy killed the Dreamcast. The piracy didn't help, but that wasn't the main cause. The majority of gamers buy their games, because it takes less effort to buy them than to jump through the hoops necessary to do otherwise...and most of the folks that pirate weren't going to buy the games anyway. The Dreamcast failed because Sega's marketing sucked horribly, and because Sega couldn't do enough to stop the PS2 hype train. EA deciding not to publish on Dreamcast was a crushing blow (perhaps one that Sony paid a pretty penny for?).

The PSP isn't perfect but piracy is not anywhere near the biggest problem. They are not moving towards the future quickly enough. Encourage third parties to develop more quality software. Include the ability to rip games to Memory Stick. Open up the marketplace like Microsoft did with Indie Games... allow third parties to develop PSP minis using free software and asking a minimal fee (like $99) to publish on the PS Store. Add social networking features. Sell a version with 3G capability. And personally, I don't play many PSP games that use analog control, but when has anyone ever praised the analog nub? You've got great minds there... come up with something that feels better, and add a second one on the right side. If they do all this and the sales still suck, then they can complain about piracy... except that if they do all this, the sales won't suck!